Oscar blahs

PUB. DATE

March 1999

SOURCE

Advertising Age;3/29/1999, Vol. 70 Issue 13, p24

SOURCE TYPE

Trade Publication

DOC. TYPE

Article

ABSTRACT

This article reports on the low ratings of the television broadcasting of the U.S. Academy Awards in March 1999. The insufferably long, four-hour show almost certainly cost ABC viewers. In a telephone survey measuring viewer satisfaction, conducted by researcher Morpace International, viewers gave the show only 5.6 points on to a 10 point score for pacing and a 7.3 overall score. Hence, the bigger issue was the movie product being honored. All the network's hype could not make up for the fact that Saving Private Ryan was no match for last year's Titanic in drawing viewers, particularly younger ones, to the theater or the awards show.